Foodborne Illness

Foodborne illness (food poisoning) describes the sickness that can happen to anyone who eats food that is contaminated with germs (bacteria, viruses, parasites) or chemicals. Health Canada estimates that more than four million Canadians get food poisoning every year.1

Common signs and symptoms of foodborne illness

Nausea and vomiting

Abdominal cramps and diarrhea

Fever

Dehydration

Symptoms of foodborne illness may be mild and last only a few hours, or they may be severe, last longer and need medical treatment. Most foodborne illnesses are mild and usually go unreported. See causes of foodborne illness to learn more.

Who is most likely to get sick?

Children

Elderly (older) people

Pregnant woman

People with weakened immune systems

These groups are more likely to get sick from the food that they eat. If they get sick, the illness can be more serious.

Don't be a source of foodborne illness!

Food handlers who are sick with diarrhea and/or vomiting need to remain off work until they have been symptom-free for at least 48 hours.

Outbreaks

A foodborne outbreak is where a number of people become sick with a similar illness after eating a common food. Any time food makes a group of people sick, Public Health Inspectors investigate to try and find out what caused the illness. The faster an outbreak can be identified, the better chance there is to find out what food made the people sick and what can be done to prevent illness in the future.

To report a suspected case of foodborne illness (food poisoning) or an outbreak, contact a Public Health Inspector on the Environmental Health Team at: